The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-10-28
''The WOrst Man Of Gold Ledge
CHATTER L.

Deep lines on brow and liz, Sullcu
hight IN the deep eyes, and evil passions
married countcnancc that might have
once promised better things The NOR.
honest men who worked in the dirsiucs
both dl>ikcd and Stunned him berauSc
when JIch iculy was in = drunken pas
SION few cared 10 brave him. Tor h- was
lcJrc.! aS = vniictivc bully 20 h" went
his way alone. gambled in the rough den
that formed the bar of the place, drank
and Swurc, and hated his kind as hearth
y - they condemned him.
AS he sat alone in the chilly autumn
evening Is lac had often sat beIorc Their.
came Il knock ~ IN. door. But there
was no answer from Jack. lie only
shook the ashes from has pipe and sat
quiet FOR = few minutes there was
silence, only broken by the sound OF
Wlnd and rain. The stranger must have
gone on his way. Not So. With 4 fec
bic tap, Is though strength WIS failing
the Uuwclcome visitor bcsou.ht llmis-
sion second time. \ dark frpwn
crossed the drunkards face, and with \
low curse, lac turned on his seat. As he
dIt SD, the latch WAS raised, and n head
appeared round the door.
Como IN il yer want to but don't let
the rain beat in like that"
Thus addressed, the door was slowly
shut a-slIu, and u man. b-nt and shiver-
any, advanced towards the fire Jack
licu.y ularNct the unnatural brightness
OF the brown eyes AMI the trcmulous
movement OF the uutstretchcd hands,
and h,- curiosity was rolScd
" her ,!p yer hail from. strangcr?"
The Wistiul ewes looked into the sullcn
face a. their owner replied
aaE 81 stranger here, and, what's
more, have lost any way. Seeing light
! mad my way here Tor shelter
lalu't much OF a place, anything"
said Jack; "Dut yer can sleep there till
tomorrow, i guess. And he pointed To
a heap ot old skins and mats in the
corner. - iaint smile lighted up the old
mans face.
Thank you,' AMI then ne shrank back
into the corner Indicated. But not to
sleep; the brown ewes resumed their in
VCSJI-.l.Iua UI Jack iiculy'S face, iii the
latter -v.w au-ry III the scrutiny.
What L. u me said Sharply. Got
anything To say Then out with il, and
~h-. r"~r eyes uf yours
With quick step the old man came
over 90 his side, and took his place beside
Linn uI the bench.
"Tha; is it, he said, with a sigh Of
rcLyt- Look here" lie drew "a sma
Bag from his pocket - IA" spoke, and
opened H. ~tIity pounds - lac Cuutiu-
Uet. Il saved 1t ior hcr, ant hoped 10
LGJ her, bat Il Is too late now
\ Siram came into th. ,lruukard-S = cvg.
as hc saw the gold and notes but n.
said no wrrl, only waited ior the. y NJ
communication. Alter lumblins auoll
for "a few minutes in his pockets. his v.S;-
tor next held up bciurr his face "a small
print. 1t IS like her, my poor child
Have You seen = prrtticr fIc,. = Takc II,
man; have you seen any one here like
her. tury say she came To- these parts
The drUukard laughed rs he took the
print and placed II where the freight
irll ON IL. shes pretty" he said, alter
a moments pause, but what about
her ."
Il WAS cruel to her. NV pretty Martha.
because she loved a man | knew T. b.. =
SCOuuIrcl - she ran away ant left me-
have looked Tor her since Tor the last
wear and traced her here but I can 10
no more. l avn dying, and can ~ no
further. Az, It's tru e, man, and ii comes
tp me that / shall never see her again
Now You must take this money and keep
It, AMI when YOU scn hrr give II 10 her,
and say I iorlsJvc her before / died say
that, man. You'll know her 10y tho
pint
.AY,.
Toe simple wOrl was enough. "Gol
bless ygu, was the trcmulouS answer.
and the oil man crcpt back TO the corner
amt lay .jown.
Meanwhile, Jack sat on in front Of the
fire. His pipe hal gone out but he felt
no more desire To- smoke. Ouc thought
alone held predominant power over him 4:
that suddenly 10y "a strange chance h.. WIS
tn un.oGSct-ior pIS~gSsur of larsy. sum
Cd. money. And a. hc held out his hand
before tuc fire, AMI saw the light flicker
Ius oa tn gold pieces, q vision OF what
CI.OEmcu', IL ms sons. OF the wOri they
woult bring him, Fitted bcfort. him
Ihr rGjc delights OF the ncighbOur.ng
tpwaS where drinking AMI poker
formed the staple amuScmcnts. AMI
where money wOui make him an object
@! c1aSl lcrJtlJn, such a he hal never
Nyra IN hIS own village, were sore temp
ta-Iuus. No one would know OF this
strangers visit. He could easily bury
the Jpty oIs night, AMI vino would bg.
thc ui-o- IS % what Ia. had gained? II
was IN Epuroi iiercs conflict, and ~ tho
-. III pJp-r lay IN his hands they
seemed 10 burn his fingers "FIftv
luUu i 10 WAS &. great sum. RcStl-sSly
ruu man moved on his sat, an the
rough log which was the only creature
THAT lowed him came creeping 10 his feet.
ami iuOSei up wistiully into his face.
~IurN ~ E-, mgt;srrd his master
Uat-T hl~ breath, JS n, looked cautiously
gJIui tIc room but even a. h,. said tao
Uo-.S, they brought no JOY 10 him.
Cp-lI thcr. b. luck in GDli bought At
the price OF auo-h.r'S death AMI at the
p--re OF HI~ own honor Honor, The
Uorl seemed Strang, on his lips after the
long wears ui gradual descent into the
ocsa'.t. l1tIun tllJ; now hal become par. oi
hrs nature. Then 'i.rc feeling Di anger
towards the man who had com, 10 dis
tErp his peace OF mind, such as il was
came u.er him. Why had Hc, with his
.ug-.u. Tor gold, been placed in such
position. pos .~,ing il, y,t not It's ppS~.S-
-uT@ Thea, with 4 feeling ol dread l,>; il
suouii be seen 10y any eyes bu. his own,
Lr :asu gathered up tae pie, and
pact II 90 as bet. Tsis done, hc re-
tTTuei 20 = seat IN front OF tie fire and
gave .lwS, q up 10 med ;at.0n again.
The simple trust oi the stranger had
come t1lIa as something SO rare that Ec
WAS ruElsi 10 H. Fifty pounds, Il Tas
a large sum to the GTuuEGrd who lsad no
money hUt what NE earned, and had
spent the last Si.iiu. hc had i'm a drunken
loUt- Once or twice au irresistible de
s:rc % hide the gold for his own fitted
aCgnss his mind, and he turned and
looked az the sleeping man. And n he
lupScd, the Worst Man of Gold Ledge
a-aIu became human. No hc NUT
tered, "hc trusted me, AMI Jack Iiculy
amt altogether bad 20 through the
long weary night hc sat and fought the
and perhaps no greater victory has ever
been won, than that OF the wrctchcd
drIuFari AMI gambler whom all men